1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant that cools a heat-generating member by latent heat transfer while boiling and condensing a refrigerant.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant has been proposed in prior art. The cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant of the prior art comprises a refrigerant container that receives heat through its bottom that is in contact with a heat-generating member such as a heat-generating electronic part, plural tubes that communicate the inside of the refrigerant container and attached erectly to the upper surface of the refrigerant container, and a header tank through which the plural tubes are communicated with each other.
The refrigerant container comprises a heat receiving plate to the surface of which a heat-generating member is attached and a heat radiating plate to the surface of which the tubes are attached, and there are provided two stacked intermediate plates between the heat receiving plate and the heat radiating plate, each intermediate plate having plural slit-shaped openings that penetrate through the plate in the direction of thickness. Examples of intermediate plates used in a refrigerant container that have such multilayer structures are shown in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B.
An intermediate plate 123 shown in FIG. 9A is contiguous to a heat radiating plate, to the surface of which tubes are attached, and is provided with plural slit-shaped openings 123a in parallel, which extend in the longitudinal direction in the drawing of the intermediate plate 123, as shown schematically. An intermediate plate 122 shown in FIG. 9B is contiguous to a heat receiving plate and provided with plural slit-shaped openings 122a in parallel, which extend in the transverse direction in the drawing of the intermediate plate 122, as shown schematically.
When the intermediate plates 122 and 123 are stacked on each other between the heat receiving plate and the heat radiating plate, the slit-shaped openings 122a and 123a are arranged so that they are perpendicular to each other. Due to this, all of the openings 122a and 123a are communicated with each other and a space to store a refrigerant in a refrigerant container is formed. The area inside the refrigerant container, on which the heat-generating member attaching area is projected from the bottom to the upper side, is referred to as a boiling area and it is shown as an area 161 surrounded by an alternating long and short dashed line in FIG. 9B.
When the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant equipped with the refrigerant container cools a heat-generating member attached to the bottom outside of the refrigerant container, the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container receives heat from the heat-generating member and boils mainly in the boiling area 161. The boiled and gasified refrigerant passes mainly through the tubes above the boiling area 161, through the header tank, and returns to the peripheral part within the refrigerant container mainly through the tubes above the area outside the boiling area 161. While moving, the refrigerant radiates latent heat to the outside and condenses into a liquid refrigerant, in the tubes.
However, in the above-mentioned cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant, when electronic equipment or the like, to which a heat-generating member such as a heat-generating electronic device to be cooled is mounted, is placed in a slightly tilted position, the surface of the heat-generating member in contact with the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is also tilted and the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is often used, as a result, in a state in which the bottom of the refrigerant container is tilted. In this case, the refrigerant is naturally stored in a space at a lower part within the refrigerant container.
When the heat-generating member generates heat and the boiling area 161 is mainly heated, the liquid refrigerant in this area receives heat and is evaporated into vapor, and the refrigerant that has circulated through the tubes and the header tank and condensed, as described above, returns to the lower part in the space within the refrigerant container. As the refrigerant in the boiling area is evaporated into vapor, the liquid refrigerant is moved and supplied from the lower part within the refrigerant container to the boiling area 161.
However, if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant is used in a tiled position, it is unlikely that the liquid refrigerant is smoothly moved and supplied from the lower part within the refrigerant container to the boiling area 161, and a problem occurs that the cooling performance may be deteriorated due to poor circulation of the refrigerant.
For example, when the refrigerant container is tilted so that the corner B of the intermediate plates 122 and 123, shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, is the lowest part, the liquid refrigerant is stored near the lowest part 122b in the lowest opening 122a within the refrigerant container. The liquid refrigerant stored near the lowest part 122b in the opening 122a is supplied to the boiling area 161 through the opening 122a and the opening 123awithout exception. As it is necessary for the liquid refrigerant at the lowest part 122b to move to another opening 122a through the opening 123a in the upper intermediate plate 123, which is located higher than the intermediate plate 122 by one step, the movement of the liquid refrigerant is often hampered, resulting in poor circulation of the refrigerant.
The above-mentioned problem being taken into account, the objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant that can prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant, even if used in a tilted position.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) in a first aspect of the present invention comprises a refrigerant container (2) to the bottom outside of which a heat-generating member (6) is attached and within which a refrigerant that boils when it receives heat from the heat-generating member (6) is stored, a heat radiating section (3, 5) having plural tubes (3) communicating the inside of the refrigerant container (2) and assembled almost erectly on the surface of the refrigerant container (2), and a header tank (4) through which the plural tubes (3) are communicated with each other; wherein the heat-generating member (6) is cooled by the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container (2), which is evaporated into vapor when receiving heat from the heat-generating member (6) and radiates the latent heat of the refrigerant vapor from the heat radiating section (3, 5); wherein a boiling area (61) where the refrigerant is evaporated into vapor by the heat-generating member (6) is formed within the refrigerant container (2); and wherein on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), one or plural substantially annular refrigerant channels (221) surrounding the boiling area (61) and plural substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) extending from the substantially annular refrigerant channels (221) to the boiling area (61), over substantially all around the circumference of the substantially annular refrigerant channels (221), are formed in the same plane.
According to the first aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is used in a tilted position, the liquid refrigerant that has condensed completely is supplied to the boiling area (61) through the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), after being stored at the lowest part through the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2). Therefore, it is unlikely that the movement of the liquid refrigerant is hampered, and it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant.
Moreover, in a second aspect of the present invention it is possible to replace the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) by two substantially semi-annular refrigerant channels (221) opposed to each other.
In a third aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging an intermediate plate member (22), in which slits (221, 222) that serve as refrigerant channels and penetrate through the intermediate plate member (22) in the direction of the plate member""s thickness are formed, between two external plate members (21, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure, and the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) are formed as slits in the intermediate plate member (22) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2).
According to the third aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the intermediate plate member (22) in which the slits that serve as the refrigerant channels are formed, together with the external plate members (21, 24). Moreover, as the refrigerant channel that surrounds the boiling area (61) is substantially annular, it is possible to form the intermediate plate member (22) so as to connect the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221) that surrounds the boiling area (61), even if the refrigerant channel is formed by the slits penetrating through the plate in the direction of its thickness. Therefore, it is easy to handle the intermediate plate member (22) in manufacturing and assembling.
In addition, it is possible to make more secure the connection between the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221) that surrounds the boiling area (61), when the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) is composed of the two substantially semi-annular refrigerant channels (221) opposed to each other, in the second aspect of the present invention.
In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a second intermediate plate member (23) arranged adjacently to a first intermediate plate member (22) that is the intermediate plate member (22) arranged nearest the bottom, communication channels (232), through which ends (221a) of the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) are communicated with each other, are formed.
According to the fourth aspect, it is possible to form an annular refrigerant channel by the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) in the first intermediate plate member (22) and the communication channels (232) in the second intermediate plate member (23). Therefore, it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant without fail.
In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) have a symmetrical shape with respect to the boiling area (61).
According to the fifth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is tilted in any direction, it is possible to supply the refrigerant to the boiling area (61) through the substantially annular refrigerant channel (221) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222).
In a sixth aspect of the present invention, a cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) comprises a refrigerant container (2) to the bottom outside of which a heat-generating member (6) is attached and within which a refrigerant that boils when it receives heat from the heat-generating member (6) is stored, a heat radiating section (3, 5) having plural tubes (3) communicating the inside of the refrigerant container (2) and assembled almost erectly on the surface of the refrigerant container (2), and a header tank (4) through which the plural tubes (3) are communicated with each other; wherein the heat-generating member (6) is cooled by the refrigerant stored in the refrigerant container (2), which is evaporated into vapor when receiving heat from the heat-generating member (6) and radiates the latent heat of the refrigerant vapor from the heat radiating section (3, 5); wherein the boiling area (61) where the refrigerant is evaporated into vapor by the heat-generating member (6) is formed within the refrigerant container (2); and wherein on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), an annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) surrounding the boiling area (61) and the plural substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) extending from the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) to the boiling area (61), over substantially all around the circumference of the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421), are formed in the same plane.
According to the sixth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is used in a tilted position, the liquid refrigerant that has condensed completely is supplied to the boiling area (61) through the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2), after being stored at the lowest part through the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) on the floor within the refrigerant container (2). Therefore, it is unlikely that the movement of the liquid refrigerant is hampered, and it is possible to prevent poor circulation of the refrigerant.
In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging an intermediate plate member (42), in which slits (221) that serve as refrigerant channels and penetrate through the intermediate plate member (42) in the direction of the plate member""s thickness and ditches (421) that have a floor in the direction of the plate member""s thickness are formed, between the two external plate members (21, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure, the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) are formed in the intermediate plate member (42) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2), and the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) is formed by the slits (221) and the ditches (421).
According to the seventh aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the intermediate plate member (42) in which the slits (221) and the ditches (421) that serve as the refrigerant channels are formed, together with the external plate members (21, 24). Moreover, as the refrigerant channel (221, 421) that surrounds the boiling area (61) is formed by the slits (221) and the ditches (421), it is possible to form the intermediate plate member (42) so as to connect the inside parts and outside parts of the refrigerant channel (221, 421) that surrounds the boiling area (61) through the section where the ditches (421) are formed. Therefore, it is easy to handle the intermediate plate member (42) in manufacturing and assembling.
In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the refrigerant container (2) is formed by arranging plural plate members (51, 23, 24) so as to form a multilayer structure and an annular refrigerant channel (521) and substantially straight refrigerant channels (522) are formed in a plate member (51) arranged nearest the bottom of the refrigerant container (2) and are ditches that have a floor.
According to the eighth aspect, it is easy to construct the refrigerant container (2) by stacking the plate member (51), in which the annular refrigerant channel (521) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (522) are formed, together with other plate members.
In a ninth aspect of the present invention, the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222) have a symmetrical shape with respect to the boiling area (61).
According to the ninth aspect, even if the cooling apparatus boiling and condensing refrigerant (1) is tilted in any direction, it is possible to supply the refrigerant to the boiling area (61) through the annular refrigerant channel (221, 421) and the substantially straight refrigerant channels (222).
In a tenth aspect of the present invention, heat radiating fins (5) are formed between the plural tubes (3).
According to the tenth aspect, it is possible to improve the heat radiation performance of the heat radiating sections (3, 5).
The symbols in the brackets attached to each means described above show the relationship of correspondence with the concrete means described in the embodiments that will be described later.
The present invention may be more fully understood from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention set forth below, together with the accompanying drawings.